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Leading Different Personalities: Part 2 – Understanding the Creative Thinker

June 8th, 2017

Creativity is often a sought after trait when companies are looking to hire. However, those who are considered exceptionally creative thinkers can pose unique challenges to management that must be properly addressed to create a strong team. Whether you are interested in hiring a new employee from temp agencies in Cleveland, Ohio or already have one on staff, here’s what you need to know about managing this personality type.

Encourage Experimentation

When you have a creative thinker on your staff, one of the worst things you can do is try to stifle them. Often, those that are highly creative don’t always flourish in structured environments, so putting too much pressure on them to conform can have them underperforming in no time.

Instead, give them some space to experiment with new ideas and show them support along the way. While this doesn’t mean you have to give them free rein, as many experiments can come with a high price tag, giving them some space to stretch can yield strong innovations you may otherwise have missed.

Don’t Pair Creative Thinkers

While having multiple creative thinkers on staff can be a boon, that doesn’t mean they should work hand-in-hand. Often, having two employees of this type working closely together can actually breed conflict as they are more likely to compete with one another or see situations differently. To help creative thinkers thrive, pair them with employees who are open to collaboration but aren’t necessarily overly innovative on their own. That way, the differing perspectives can be used without creating the difficulties that two creative types may conjure.

Fight Boredom

Nothing will shut down a creative thinker like being bored. Often, these workers need new challenges and experiences on a regular basis to thrive, so monotony or duties that are overly routine can leave them uninspired.

That doesn’t mean they can’t be given specific tasks that are performed similarly on a consistent basis, just that there needs to also be enough surprises and a fair share of complex tasks to keep them motivated and engaged.

Similarly, it is important to keep their work from becoming overly regimented. While having some structure may be necessary, it is important to be flexible in some regards. For example, giving them the opportunity to work remotely or on a flexible schedule can help keep routine tasks from feeling cumbersome as they have options regarding where or when they complete the work. Having some sense of freedom and spontaneity can help keep creative thinkers moving forward even when the work is otherwise commonplace.

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